World Rankings: How Ireland can become number one

Ireland could return to the top of the world rankings just under a year since they last held the position without hitting a ruck in anger this weekend.

Ireland's team's 14-month reign as the world's number one team came to an end last October when they were knocked out in the Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finals by New Zealand, to be replaced by South Africa.

The world champions have remained there ever since but the Springboks could be knocked off their perch if things go badly wrong against New Zealand in the third round of The Rugby Championship.

Ellis Park has been a happy hunting ground for the All Blacks in recent years, and they won 35-23 on their last visit there in August 2022.

A slight improvement on that margin of victory by the four-time defending champions would result in the Springboks losing their number one status to Ireland, with the All Blacks also climbing above them into second place.

The All Blacks would gain 2.60 points and increase their rating to 91.32 points if this scenario pans out. But that would still leave them 0.80 points adrift of Ireland's rating of 92.12 points. South Africa's rating, meanwhile, would drop from 93.11 points to 90.50.

There could be further changes to the rankings elsewhere, especially if a big away win in Johannesburg is repeated in the other three Test matches taking place this weekend.

Australia, for instance, will move up two places to seventh if they also win by more than 15 points against Argentina in Saturday's other Rugby Championship fixture in Buenos Aires. Any form of victory would be enough for them to leapfrog Italy into eighth. Argentina cannot improve on their present position of sixth.

Tonga have never won at Apia in the professional era but if they are able to do that, and win well in their opening match in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup, they will overtake Samoa in the rankings. Samoa could fall by as many as three places to 16th in defeat.

Meanwhile, Canada will become the highest-ranked North American team for the first time in nearly eight years if they go and do something that they haven't done since 2013 - beat the USA on American soil, as long as it is by a margin of more than 15 points.

A smaller margin of victory in Carson, California would still be enough to lift Canada above Romania into the top 20, a position they have not occupied since February 2019. But yet another defeat would see them drop below Chile into 22nd.

Of the home teams, only USA can improve their position in victory. A win by more than 15 points would take the Men's Eagles above Spain and into 18th place.

Both Pacific Nations Cup matches are being shown live and for free on RugbyPass TV.